Charles Spurgeon once said, “Everything is wonderful until you get used to it.” Those words are so true. I remember the first time I saw a microwave in action. A man took a piece of stale bread, put a few drops of water on it, and it was just like it was fresh-made in only 30 seconds. It was incredible! Now, I open the door, put the food in to heat or cook, and stand there wondering why it is taking so long. During the mid-twentieth century, one of the most recognizable brand icons in America was a dog sitting in front of an old-time gramophone, head cocked, listening to the sound. That iconic image was owned by the RCA Victor record company. How amazing, that the sound of a voice talking or singing could be recorded on a plastic disk! Now, the question asked is, “What’s a record?” Do you remember when remote controls for television sets first came out? How does it do that! It changes the channel from across the room! I don’t even have to get out of my seat! It was shocking! It was so unreal, but I was holding it in my hand! What about now? Does anybody get excited by their remote controls anymore? Babies are fascinated by water. It freezes. It boils. It splashes. You can weigh hundreds of pounds and still float on it. It’s a miracle! Yawn. It’s just water. Everything is wonderful until you get used to it.

January begins the weeks known in the church as the Sundays after

Epiphany, a time for revelation and exploring and discovery, remembering the journey of the wisemen searching for Jesus. We need Epiphany. We need this time that is all about journeys, our journeys as God’s faithful people and our journey as God’s faithful church. We need this time to figure out where Jesus wants us to go and what Jesus wants us to do. Epiphany is about following the light of Jesus Christ obediently, going wherever that light leads and to all upon whom that light shines. Epiphany is God saying, “It’s not about what you want; it’s about what I want.” Epiphany is about a faith so courageous that we would dare to pray, “Not my will but thine be done.” These weeks after Epiphany are a blessed reminder that God is leading us, a holy reminder that we have been given a faith so strong it has the power to change the world. Aldersgate, pray for your church during the next few weeks, for when it comes to faith, even faith, everything is wonderful until you get used to it. Pastor Steve